1 88s. 



General Notes. 'J 8 *1 



The capture of this specimen makes the second record, so far as the 

 writer is aware, for the Atlantic Ocean, the species belonging properly to 

 the 'South Seas,' especially in the neighborhood of Australia and New 

 Zealand. The two other Atlantic records are the Canary Islands {fide 

 Webb and Berthelot), and near the mouth of the Rio de la Plata. The 

 latter refers to the specimen upon which the species (Procellaria marina 

 Lath.) was originally based, while the former is the basis of Procellaria 

 hypoleuca Webb and Berth. — Robert Ridgway, Washington. D. C. 



Probable Occurrence of Diomedea exulans in Florida.— Mr. B. H. Bar- 

 rett, writing from Jacksonville. Fla.. under date of September 14, 1885. 

 says : " Sometime during the month of May a great Wandering Albatross 

 was seen at the mouth of the St. John's River twenty miles below this city. 

 Knowing it to be a very rare occurrence, I questioned several who saw 

 the bird, and from their description I have no doubt of its authenticity." 

 A later letter from Mr. Barrett relating to this occurrence is accompanied 

 by a letter from Mr. Alfred Ames Howlett. one of the fortunate observers 

 of the bird, from which I quote the following : " In replv to vour request 

 for a statement regarding an Albatross that I told you I had seen at the 

 mouth of the St. John's River this year, I would say that I was in the pilot- 

 house of my tug, the 'J. E. Stevens,' talking with Captain N. Broward, 

 when I discovered a large bird hovering near the surface of the water in 

 the channel near ' Ward's Bank," and on coming nearer the bird arose and 

 circled within seventy-five yards of the tug, and I positively identified it 

 as an Albatross; and on the return of the tug I carried mv gun with 

 me and, although seen again I was unable to get within shot. The last 



seen of the bird it was winging its way seaward I am positive of the 



bird's identity from mounted specimens I have seen and from ornitho- 

 logical works I have read." — Elliott Coi'E.s. Washington, D. C. 



The Bill of the Horned Puffin {Cerator/iina monocerata). — While at 

 Santa Barbara and San Diego, Cal., in November and December. I had 

 the opportunity to examine a number of specimens of this species, prob- 

 ably not fewer than twenty, old and young. Considering the abundance 

 of the bird off the California coast, and even in the harbors, its rarity in 

 collections is somewhat surprising. These Puffins are tame enough, as a 

 rule, to be approached and shot without difficulty, and even when they 

 dive thev do not remain under long, and may be followed by observing 

 their course and obtained with very little trouble. Enough specimens 

 ma v. however, be secured (or could in December, 18S4) by a walk along 

 the beach of San Diego Bay. or anywhere on the coast, after a storm. 

 when considerable numbers are cast up by the waves in a state of perfect 

 preservation — apparently drowned, for they show no signs of violence, 

 either externally or internally. 



It was interesting to observe that the curious upright horn-like append, 

 age of the bill, which writers appear to consider more or less peculiar to 

 the breeding season, was present in all specimens examined, in shape of 



